Decreased blood perfusion in canine tibial diaphysis after filling with acrylic bone cement compared with inert bone wax

Sixteen dogs had one tibia filled with acrylic PMMA bone cement and the opposite, control tibia filled with inert bone wax. After 1, 4, and 12 weeks, the blood perfusion in diaphyses was measured with Sc-46 labeled microspheres. The blood flow rates increased from 1 to 4 weeks and dropped to about the 1-week level after 12 weeks on both sides, with the acrylic side lower than the control side. On both sides, Disulphine Blue staining of the bones showed severe endosteal avascularity after 1 and 4 weeks and massive periosteal apposition after 4 and 12 weeks. The initial increase in blood flow is considered due to periosteal apposition, and the differences in blood flow rates are attributed to avascularity caused by the polymerization heat and toxicity of the acrylic cement.     

Effect of inositol hexaphosphate on retention of zinc and calcium from the human colon

Colonic retention of zinc and calcium was studied after installation during colonoscopy in 11 patients of a solution of 30 mumol zinc, 6.4 mmol calcium and 500 mumol inositol hexaphosphate (phytic acid) labelled with 65Zn and 47Ca. Whole-body retention of the radionuclide at day 13 was 1.0 +/- 1.0 per cent (mean +/- s.d.) for zinc and 4.0 +/- 2.9 per cent for calcium. The retention of zinc but not of calcium was lower than observed earlier under similar conditions from a solution not containing phytic acid and indicates formation of an indigestible complex between phytic acid and zinc. Addition of amino acids to the solution in 3 subjects did not seem to affect the retention of zinc and calcium.     

Immunocytochemical identification of outer segment proteins in the rd chicken

Immunoreactivities of two monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) that recognize cone photopigments were tested in the retinas of congenitally blind retinal degenerate (rd) chicks and compared to normally sighted carrier chicks, heterozygous for the mutation. MAb OS-2 had been previously determined to label rod and most cone outer segment membranes in normal chick retinas and is believed to bind to an epitope that is common to several photopigments in chickens. MAb COS-1 labels specifically middle-to-long-wavelength-sensitive cone photopigments in a number of vertebrate species. In rd chicks MAb OS-2 labeled the same number of rod outer segments at the same densities as carrier chicks. However, cone outer segments were less frequently and significantly less heavily labeled with this MAb at all ages tested (1 day, 1 week and 2 weeks post hatching). MAb COS-1 labeled the same number of cone outer segments in both rd and carrier retinas at 1 day of age, however, those outer segments that were labeled in rd specimens had significantly fewer gold particles on them. At both 1 week and 2 weeks of age, rd chick retinas had a significant reduction in numbers of cone outer segments labeled by COS-1. These findings support the hypothesis that the cone photopigment protein is abnormal in the rd chick model of hereditary blindness and retinal degeneration.     

Synergistic antiproliferative activity of quercetin and cisplatin on ovarian cancer cell growth

It has been demonstrated that the flavonoid quercetin (3,3',4',5-7-pentahydroxyflavone) (Q) inhibits the growth of several cancer cell lines and that the antiproliferative activity of this substance is mediated by a so-called type II estrogen binding site (type II EBS). We investigated the effects of quercetin and cisplatin (CDDP) alone and in combination on the proliferation of the ovarian cancer cell line OVCA 433. Both drugs exhibited a dose-related growth inhibition in a range of concentrations between 0.01 and 2.5 microM and 0.01 and 2.5 micrograms/ml for Q and CDDP respectively. The combination of the two drugs resulted in a synergistic antiproliferative activity. Two other flavonoids tested, i.e., rutin (3-rhamnosylglucoside of quercetin) and hesperidin [7-b rutinoside of hesperetin (3'-5-3-hydroxy-4-methoxyflavone)] were ineffective both alone and in combination with CDDP. Since both rutin and hesperidin do not bind to type II EBS it can be hypothesized that Q synergizes with CDDP by acting through an interaction with these binding sites.     

Effects of fenfluramine on neuropsychological and communicative functioning in treatment-refractory schizophrenic patients

Reported behavioral improvement among autistic patients following feufluramine treatment and a high serotonin level among certain chronic schizophrenic patients suggested that fenfluramine treatment might be beneficial with such schizophrenic patients, especially within the realm of neuropsychological and communicative functioning. A brief neuropsychological battery was administered to eight chronic schizophrenic subjects before, during, and after fenfluramine treatment. Conversations in controlled settings were audiotaped before and during fenfluramine treatment for seven of these subjects and one additional subject. These language samples were analyzed for communicative competence and evidence of thought disorder. Overall, neuropsychological and communicative functioning was worse under the fenfluramine condition, even though blood serotonin levels were about half those at baseline conditions. The results suggest that it is not the higher levels of blood serotonin by themselves that are related to depressed neuropsychological, communicative, and other functioning. In fact, the higher levels of serotonin may well be related to adaptations for maximal level of functioning. These results suggest caution in the use of fenfluramine for other schizophrenic populations.     

Treatment of ununited fractures and pseudarthroses of long tubular bones complicated by suppurative infection

The work is based on the analysis of examination and treatment (external +transosseous osteosynthesis) of 172 patients with ununited fractures and false joints of the long tubular bones complicated by purulent infection and posttraumatic osteomyelitis. All patients were divided into 4 clinical groups according to the activity of the purulent wound infection and choice of the surgical tactics. Some risk factors were taken into consideration in choosing the tactics of treatment and predicting the outcomes. The clinical course of the wound process in the groups of the patients studied and the errors and complications of operative treatment are analysed. The necessity for active postoperative management of patients and endolymphatic and +intra-arterial administration of antibiotics is substantiated. Good and satisfactory results of treatment were produced in 85.6% of patients.     

Use of ultraviolet irradiation of the blood in the complex treatment of peritonitis

According to the data of tetrasolium nitroblue test and titer of the blood serum antibodies to the most frequently cultured microflora in complex treatment of 27 patients with diffuse purulent peritonitis, it was established, that the use of ultraviolet irradiation of the blood stimulated the specific and non-specific organism resistance.     

Immunologic shifts in patients with multiple and combined injuries

In 102 patients with multiple and associated traumas at day 1, 3, 7 and 14 after trauma, the content of T- and B-lymphocytes, IgG, IgA, IgM, complement and beta-lysins was defined. The uniform immunological shifts of the indices of specific and non-specific immunity with a different degree of pronouncement, depending on the initial immune status, severity of trauma, volume of blood loss, development of wound infection, individual peculiarities of the sufferers, were established.     

Development of the arthroplasty method in coxarthrosis

On the basis of analysis of surgical treatment of 753 patients with coxarthrosis during 1970-1987, the authors set forth the stages of arthroplasty development in the USSR, using the experience of the Kharkov research institute of orthopaedics and traumatology named after M. I. Sitenko on the problems of arthrodesis operations, endoprosthetics and biological arthroplasty. In the article are presented the peculiar features of diagnostic and surgical tactics in case of patients with idiopathic and dysplastic coxarthrosis; operation technique for each form is presented in details. The authors have developed a new perosseous access to the hip joint, which made a good showing and permits to preserve the integrity of periarticular muscles and neurovascular formations. Application of the given access made possible the extension of indications for arthroplasty in case of grave forms of coxarthrosis, met earlier in a reserved manner.